News Rendezvous

By News Rendezvous

The Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, has marked his second anniversary in office with a strong affirmation that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 4D foreign policy agenda has repositioned Nigeria’s soft power diplomacy on the global stage.

Speaking during a media chat on Thursday at the NTAC headquarters in Abuja, the DG reflected on his stewardship since assuming duty on August 28, 2023.

He recalled inheriting 198 volunteers in service and a troubled agency burdened with ₦300 million debt and unpaid allowances. Yet, two years later, he said the Corps has not only stabilized but has also recorded one of its most robust deployment cycles since inception.

“From September 2023 till date, we have been deploying volunteers two to three times every month without fail,” Buba said, noting that the Corps has cleared all inherited debts and now maintains a steady global presence.

Founded 38 years ago, NTAC has deployed over 10,000 Nigerian professionals to more than 40 countries, strengthening Nigeria’s reputation as a development partner. According to Buba, the President’s 4D policy, Democracy, Demography, Diaspora, and Development, has elevated the scheme into a strategic instrument of diplomacy.

“Today, NTAC is at its highest peak since inception because of the President’s 4D agenda,” he affirmed, stressing that the policy has created the framework for Nigeria’s skilled manpower to become ambassadors of both service and leadership.

The DG highlighted remarkable success stories, including Nigerian volunteers in The Gambia who rose to become Vice-Chancellors and Deputy Vice-Chancellors of top universities.

“This shows that Nigeria’s vibrant demography is not just being exported but is shaping global development,” he said.

Buba also detailed reforms within the Corps, such as renovating dilapidated offices and acquiring operational buses—efforts he personally funded at the start of his tenure before federal support kicked in.

By October 2025, he disclosed, the Corps will have 450 volunteers in service, meeting 90 percent of its deployment targets.Looking ahead, he unveiled an ambitious plan to reposition NTAC as not only a soft power tool but also a hub for structured labour export.

While volunteers will continue to serve freely under the scheme, he said the Corps is already in talks with host governments and international partners, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to create paid opportunities for Nigerian professionals abroad. He cited Jamaica’s request for 400 experts as proof of the global appetite for Nigeria’s human capital.

“NTAC represents all the pillars of the President’s 4D policy,” he said.

“When we send volunteers, we contribute to development. When they engage with Nigerians abroad, they reinforce the diaspora pillar. Our work is a practical expression of the 4D vision.

”The DG ended with a charge to Nigerian youths to embrace NTAC not only as a platform for service but also for leadership.

“We are not just sending out volunteers; we are raising leaders who will come back to build Nigeria,” he declared.

The event ended with group photographs of directors, stakeholders, and media representatives, symbolizing NTAC’s renewed commitment to service, accountability, and Nigeria’s global leadership through diplomacy.